LIMITS OF DETECTION IN MULTIVARIATE CALIBRATION

Multivariate calibration and prediction is applied to signal data measured for selected multicomponent systems using inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). A multivariate definition of the limit of detection is derived from the error propagation theory. No limiting assumptions of constant signal errors are made for derivation. The definition is successfully applied to estimate realistic limits of detection for the investigated systems. Contributions corresponding to the calibration error were included for calculation. For efficient application realistic error models are introduced to estimate the required errors of the signals without replicate measurements.